AI Damage2013 Mercedes-Benz SL 550: common problems
Owners of the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL 550 filed 17 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and engine. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 17
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Steering 29% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 24% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 24% of all complaints
- 4 Wheels 18% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 12% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 6% of all complaints
- 7 Suspension 6% of all complaints
- Steering: 5 complaints (29% of all).
- Engine: 4 complaints (24% of all).
- Powertrain: 4 complaints (24% of all).
- Wheels: 3 complaints (18% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 2 complaints (12% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 17 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Complaint: brake pedal would hit the floor and as it traveled down further, the engine acceleration ticked-up, at which time I released the brake pedal and re-applied the brakes successfully.
I was driving on a country road when all of a sudden my car lost power all the warning lights camo on the dashboard. Smoke started billowing out from the back and front of the car. It turned off and I only coasted about a 100 feet. I could not safely pull off to the side of the road as the car had no power.
The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost power steering assist functionality. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the steering rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired.
The rear subframe experienced excessive levels of rust which caused the rear left side to suddenly collapse. After the collapse, the car would fish tail at low speeds (i.e., less than 15 miles per hour).
Started the vehicle and used the gear selector to shift to Drive. Car did not go into gear. Towed to dealer. Dealer found faulty âism module.â Apparently a very common issue with these cars.
Our power steering went out all of a sudden. We took this to our mechanic who said it was a recall for the power steering. Fletcher Jones Mercedes' looked at the vehicle did a computer update recall and said the power steering is not covered. The car is very unsafe and we need this fixed.
Cam sensor seals failed which leaked oil into the wire harness, O2 sensors, and ECM. This happens to be a common problem with M278 engine. The repair was $10,217 to fix this issue. The car would not pass emissions without this repair. Could oil into the electrical system pose a fire hazzard?
The contact stated while the vehicle was being serviced at a tire shop, he was informed that the power steering assist warning light was illuminated. The steering wheel became difficult to turn. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer to be diagnosed.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 8,823 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 24% most complained about).
On average one model year of the SL 550 has 5 complaints (13 years in the data). This year has 17, above average.
What to check before buying
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Wheels. Wheel runout, cracks, signs of a wheel strike.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL 550?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: steering, engine, powertrain. Total complaints: 17. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: steering or power steering problems (29%), loss of power / limp mode (24%), warning lights, check engine (24%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL 550?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL 550 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2013 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.